State Route 261 deadly for smugglers, cargo
Fatigue, speed contribute to accidents on remote highway
Most who travel on state Route 261 are tourists, pausing to enjoy a view of the Valley of the Gods as they pass through.
But not all travelers are here for the scenery. It's also a route used by those who smuggle drugs or illegal immigrants. From here they can connect to S.R. 95 to Hanksville, bypassing Blanding and its patrols, as they travel north to I-70.
On a recent Sunday morning, trooper Charlie Taylor finds plenty of evidence this remote route is used by smugglers. At a pullout that's not very scenic he finds fresh footprints and litter, discarded water bottles and soda cans, a blue hat.
"They're trying to avoid us," Taylor said. "Apparently we're doing our job."
Taylor is one of four Highway Patrol officers who cover more than 400 miles of highway in San Juan County. The trip north for smugglers sometimes becomes deadly, as drivers starting from the border or Phoenix start to fatigue, Taylor says.
"Most fall asleep," he said. "If they'd simply hit the brakes and ride it out they'd be fine, but they always wake up and jerk the wheel."
"I just hope we don't have an accident like that out here," he said. "In the winter, it could be three days before we find them. I'd hate to see them die that way...."
Taylor was referring to an April 14 accident that killed eight people when a Chevy Suburban rolled on U.S. 191. When Taylor arrived, crash victims were strewn on the ground.
"This time the driver was distracted," he said. The driver, Rigoberto Salas-Lopez, faces federal charges of transporting illegal immigrants resulting in their deaths. Salas-Lopez has told agents that he knew the 14 people he was transporting were illegal immigrants from Mexico and Guatemala. Two of the eight people killed have yet to be identified.
"I don't think we're overwhelmed or out of the average," Taylor said. "We just seem to have more illegal immigrant accidents.... You've got speeds of 65 mph and above in an overweight vehicle swerving, and no one's buckled up because there are no seat belts."
Identifying victims in such tragedies can be particularly challenging, because they often don't carry identification.
"It's inherent in smuggling cases that people don't carry IDs," said Jonathan Lines, assistant special agent in charge for Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Utah.
In cases where there are fatalities, ICE agents work closely with consulates, interview survivors and sometimes may find evidence of a person's identity in their home country. Sometimes a victim may carry a phone number or other clue.
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